- Problem
Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe pregnancy disorder with a pathophysiological cause not yet completely understood and without curative therapy. The histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K9ac as well as the protein galectin-2 (Gal-2) are known to be decreased in PE. To gain a better understanding of the development of PE, a possible influence of Gal-2 on histone modification, and the influence of Gal-2 in syncytialisation was investigated.
Methods of study
For this purpose, immunohistochemical staining of 13 PE and 13 control placentas were correlated. This was followed by cell culture experiments with BeWo and HVT cells. Here an immunohistochemical staining and analysis of the histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K9ac was conducted after incubation with different concentrations of Gal-2. In addition, cell fusion staining with E-cadherin and β-catenin was performed after incubation with Gal-2.
Results
We found a significant correlation between H3K4me3 and H3K9ac with Gal-2.Problem
Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe pregnancy disorder with a pathophysiological cause not yet completely understood and without curative therapy. The histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K9ac as well as the protein galectin-2 (Gal-2) are known to be decreased in PE. To gain a better understanding of the development of PE, a possible influence of Gal-2 on histone modification, and the influence of Gal-2 in syncytialisation was investigated.
Methods of study
For this purpose, immunohistochemical staining of 13 PE and 13 control placentas were correlated. This was followed by cell culture experiments with BeWo and HVT cells. Here an immunohistochemical staining and analysis of the histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K9ac was conducted after incubation with different concentrations of Gal-2. In addition, cell fusion staining with E-cadherin and β-catenin was performed after incubation with Gal-2.
Results
We found a significant correlation between H3K4me3 and H3K9ac with Gal-2. Furthermore, we detected an increase of H3K4me3 and H3K9ac after addition of Gal-2 in BeWo and HVT cells. In addition, there was increased fusion of HVT cells after addition of Gal-2.
Conclusion
Our results show an influence of Gal-2 on the histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K9ac in trophoblasts. In addition, we have shown an increased syncytialisation after incubation with Gal-2. Therefore, we postulate that the increased syncytialisation is caused by H3K4me3 and H3K9ac affected by Gal-2. Since Gal-2, as well as the histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K9ac, are decreased in preeclampsia the induction of Gal-2 seems to be a promising potential future therapeutic option to treat preeclampsia.…
